The Veteran Hardscape Revolution

Becoming a business owner can be one of the most liberating decisions you can make.As a military veteran, you’ve certainly earned the right to participate in fueling the economic engine of the American economy.Did you realize that historically, 41.5% of veterans have been self-employed as opposed to 24.5% of non-veterans?Well, who better to 'live' the American Dream of business ownership, than those who have defended that dream through military service?

Business success can be measured in many different ways.First of all, you’ll need to have a passion for what you’re doing.Secondly, you’ll need to learn the skills to help drive that passion.If you enjoy working outdoors and with your hands, StoneMakers Academy will teach you the skills to compete in the landscape and hardscape construction industry using your GI Bill benefits.As more homeowners look to enhance their outdoor living areas with water features, backyard waterfalls, fire pits, patios and outdoor kitchens, the unique StoneMakers system gives you a competitive advantage.

But what about learning the operational skills to run the business?There’s more than being good at building hardscape features.As a veteran, you have resources available to you at no cost, one being the Boots to Business program offered by the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.It’s a three phase program, including an eight week online “mini MBA” course designed for you learn how to run a business.The course teaches you:

How to develop a business plan

Marketing on a shoestring budget

How to obtain financing

Analytic tools to create a comprehensive business plan

Building a business for the long term takes planning and a lot of hard work.It’s not easy to build a successful business, but then neither was your military service.Whether you’re interested in having a business to support you and your crew, or building a large company with multiple crews and employees, you have the resources as a veteran of the military at your disposal.Isn’t it worth taking advantage of it?Take a look at the Boots to Business program and give your future a jump start.

StoneMakers Academy has developed The Fast Track To Success Program, a comprehensive program that teaches the skills necessary to start and operate a successful business in landscape construction.Packed into 8 days of intense study, The Fast Track To Success Program is designed to put veterans in business in weeks, not months or years. The curriculum includes modules in sales and marketing, bookkeeping, legal compliance, hiring and managing employees and obtaining funding.

The core of the StoneMakers Academy program is focused on proprietary methods in hardscape and landscape construction that allow veterans to create projects that are completed in half the time of traditional methods, with results today's customers are demanding. The school teaches how to build fire pits, retaining walls, backyard water features, custom grill areas, patios and many other hardscape applications.

In addition to the initial training, StoneMakers Academy has an open door policy for continued training.The main objective is ensuring the success of the students.Continued technical, marketing and business support is just a phone call away.If a graduate of the Academy desires additional hands on training, they can attend any future training class.This insures each student will become an expert in StoneMakers systems for hardscape and landscape construction.

The StoneMakers system for hardscape applications has been taught for over five years to hundreds of landscape professionals.The proprietary methods have allowed contractors to create award winning landscape features, and add exclusive services to help grow their businesses. Sensing a need to provide an opportunity to veterans to develop their own businesses, the StoneMakers Academy was founded.StoneMakers Academy is a licensed technical training institute in the State of New Hampshire, and qualified veterans can participate in the program with their GI Bill benefits covering the tuition.